What does a General Warehouse Associate do?

A General Warehouse Associate performs a variety of tasks at warehouses on a day-to-day basis. They typically receive and process shipments, organize stocks, inspect packages to ensure quantity and quality, maintain inventory and other records, operate tools and equipment such as forklifts and scanners, utilize warehouse spaces, and prepare products subjected for deliveries. Moreover, a General Warehouse Associate must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
General warehouse associate responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real general warehouse associate resumes:
- Unload product off trailers, receive product using the WMS system, and transport product to its necessary location.
- Travele to other distribution centers to assist with the setup, training and operation of the KEXE WMS system implementation.
- Assemble medical equipment-Deliver medical supplies to patients homes and medical facilities-Prepare supplies and packaging for delivery-Load packages according to borough
- Order selectors are required to safely operator a motorize pallet jack.
- Operate power equipment including: order pickers, tuggers, reach trucks, and counterbalance forklifts.
General warehouse associate skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of General Warehouse Associates are proficient in Pallets, Manual Pallet Jack, and RF Scanner. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Customer-service skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of General Warehouse Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Pallets, 16%
Order selectors were required to safely operator a motorized pallet jack.
- Manual Pallet Jack, 9%
Moved freight using various equipment such as stand up forklift, electric pallet jacks and, manual pallet jacks.
- RF Scanner, 7%
Performed tasks such as Picking and Packing, Manifesting; Used RF scanners in order to complete tasks.
- Safety Regulations, 7%
Maintained and handled moving equipment regarding all safety regulations.
- Unload Trailers, 7%
Unload trailers either manually or by a forklift* Inventory and Quality Assurance* Clerical tasks using Access, Excel, and Outlook
- Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
Reach Truck/Pacer/Electric Pallet Jack certified.
Common skills that a general warehouse associate uses to do their job include "pallets," "manual pallet jack," and "rf scanner." You can find details on the most important general warehouse associate responsibilities below.
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a general warehouse associate to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what general warehouse associates do because "production, planning, and expediting clerks are frequently in contact with suppliers, vendors, and production managers and need to communicate the firm’s scheduling needs effectively." Additionally, a general warehouse associate resume shows how general warehouse associates use communication skills: "demonstrate basic material handling/packaging/warehouse equipment skills * effective oral communication skills * accurately performs multiple operational tasks assigned"
Customer-service skills. Many general warehouse associate duties rely on customer-service skills. "stock clerks sometimes interact with customers in retail stores and may have to get the item the customer is looking for from the storeroom.," so a general warehouse associate will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways general warehouse associate responsibilities rely on customer-service skills: "maintained product integrity by inspecting all products for damage and misplacement to ensure customer orders were processed accurately. "
Detail oriented. general warehouse associates are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to general warehouse associate responsibilities, because "material and product inspecting clerks check items for defects, some of which are small and difficult to spot." A general warehouse associate resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "inventory: working for the home depot has thoroughly increased my attention to detail when it comes to inventory. "
Math skills. For certain general warehouse associate responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "math skills." The day-to-day duties of a general warehouse associate rely on this skill, as "some material recording clerks use math to calculate shipping costs or take measurements." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what general warehouse associates do: "used math equations to solve how much material and weight is on hand. "
The three companies that hire the most general warehouse associates are:
- Total Staffing Solutions51 general warehouse associates jobs
- The TJX Companies31 general warehouse associates jobs
- KKimco Staffing Services Inc23 general warehouse associates jobs
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General warehouse associate vs. Warehouse selector
A warehouse selector is responsible for preparing merchandise and packing items appropriately according to clients' orders and special instructions. Warehouse selectors ensure the adequacy of stock inventory to release orders and create purchase requests as needed. They also assist in the manufacturing and production process, label items accurately, and inspect the quality of the materials before distribution. A warehouse selector must have excellent organizational skills, as well as the ability to work in a fast-paced environment to meet deadlines and achieve the highest customer satisfaction.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, general warehouse associate responsibilities require skills like "manual pallet jack," "rf scanner," "safety regulations," and "unload trailers." Meanwhile a typical warehouse selector has skills in areas such as "work ethic," "materials handling," "warehouse environment," and "basic math." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Warehouse selectors earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $39,926. On the other hand, general warehouse associates are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,144.On average, warehouse selectors reach similar levels of education than general warehouse associates. Warehouse selectors are 0.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.General warehouse associate vs. Warehouse/driver
A warehouse driver is responsible for transporting packages and other merchandise from the warehouse to different locations. Warehouse drivers strictly follow route sheets to avoid delays in the delivery. They check all the loaded items to ensure that the orders are correct, return defective items, and update the inventory sheet. A warehouse driver must operate the delivery vehicle, perform engine repairs, and follow safety practices and procedures. A warehouse driver also responds to the customers' inquiries and concerns and escalates complaints of incorrect merchandise and defective items to management.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that general warehouse associate responsibilities requires skills like "manual pallet jack," "rf scanner," "osha," and "forklift equipment." But a warehouse/driver might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "math," "basic math," and "cdl."
Warehouse/drivers may earn a higher salary than general warehouse associates, but warehouse/drivers earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $34,924. On the other hand, general warehouse associates receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $33,144.In general, warehouse/drivers achieve similar levels of education than general warehouse associates. They're 0.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General warehouse associate vs. Warehouse labour
Warehouse labour workers are responsible for organizing shipment details by processing the correct quantity of orders, ensuring that the items are free from any defects and mislabeling. Warehouse labourers prepare the items for packaging efficiently, update the inventory records, and escalate production discrepancy to the management for immediate resolution. They should also strictly adhere to the production area's safety regulations, especially on loading and unloading items, and moving each package to appropriate shelves using warehouse equipment.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a general warehouse associate is likely to be skilled in "rf scanner," "forklift equipment," "trolleys," and "outbound trailers," while a typical warehouse labour is skilled in "customer service," "basic math," "cleanliness," and "math."
Warehouse labours make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $33,085. On the other hand, general warehouse associates are paid the highest salary in the technology industry, with average annual pay of $33,144.warehouse labours typically earn similar educational levels compared to general warehouse associates. Specifically, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General warehouse associate vs. Warehouse receiving
The duties of a warehouse receiving worker include interacting with delivery couriers, such as DHL and FedEx/UPS, while generally simplifying the customer service delivery process. They are expected to closely inspect all goods and products for damages, verify the quantities of products ordered, and enter these into inventory using RF or WMS system. The responsibility of determining the designated method of shipment of products may also fall to them.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between general warehouse associates and warehouse receivings, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a general warehouse associate might have more use for skills like "manual pallet jack," "unload trailers," "forklift equipment," and "safety standards." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of warehouse receivings require skills like "warehouse receiver," "shipping receiving," "warehouse environment," and "basic math. "
In general, warehouse receivings earn the most working in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $33,909. The highest-paying industry for a general warehouse associate is the technology industry.The average resume of warehouse receivings showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to general warehouse associates. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.Types of general warehouse associate
Updated January 8, 2025